November was coming to an end and snow began falling around Hogwarts. We were finally all soon going home for Christmas. I know that Draco was feeling the stress of the Carrows on his shoulders, and the Dark Lord. He didn't want to finish school because then he would be in the Dark Lord's employment.

For the next week or so me and Draco spent lots of time together, just the two of us or with his friends. I hadn't told my friends yet. I felt so happy and I couldn't even begin to describe how much. He was so sweet with me and I loved being with him and I loved when he showed me off to his friends, and when he was so sweet to me in front of them it made me feel so special and I loved going to sleep being held by him and I loved everything about him. It felt so good. It really did.

One Saturday morning mid-Nocember me and Draco lay in bed all morning, and it was lovely. Just kissing and snuggling and joking around. We didn't even go up to breakfast in the Great Hall. We snuck up for a late lunch just before the House-Elves cleared the tables, so that we wouldn't run into my friends. That evening I was meant to go out with the girls but I ended up just staying in Draco's dorm, cuddling.

On Sunday evening I saw Daphne, Tracey, Aurelia and Millicent in the common room. Apparently they were annoyed that I didn't come out last night like I'd said. But apparently there was more to it.

"So you were with Draco last night?" Aurelia said, not asked. I suddenly felt defensive - right after I'd said sorry for not coming last night the mood felt awkward and not right. They seemed angry with me. I nodded.

"And the night before that? And before that. Right?"

I didn't know what she was getting at. So what if we spent time together?

"Yes" I said. "Why?" I looked at her. I always hated confrontation and arguments.

"So you're back together now? Is that what it is?" Daphne asked, with a hint of disdain in her voice.

"I dunno all right! What's with all the questions?"

"It's just all of a sudden you seem to have forgotten you have friends, now that Draco obviously likes you back."

"Excuse me?" I gaped at Daphne. She nor Aurelia said anything. I rolled my eyes.

"What's this even about? Whatever, so I skipped drinking and going out for two nights, why does that matter? It's pointless anyway!"

"Here we go," Aurelia muttered. Daphne and Aurelia don't even usually get along that well but now they were ganging up on me. Tracey was just looking between the three of us wordlessly.

"She's already changed again," Daphne said over my head to Aurelia.

"What are you on about?" I said, getting upset and angry.

Aurelia turned to look at me seriously. "You change everytime you're with Draco!" she accused.

I frowned. "What? No I don't."

Aurelia looked away.

"Yes you do," Daphne persisted. "I'm just going to say it, because I care about you, but you'll hate me for it." She sighed and then went on: "Every time you're near him you turn into this patethic, needy, insecure victim. And the worst thing of all is that you're always willing to go back for more."

I gaped at her. "No, I'm not," was all I could breathe out. I turned to look at Aurelia and Tracey for help. But they were looking at me with sad and awkward faces and only met my eyes for a hasty second. I snorted, looking away, feeling my eyes watering, but I blinked it away.

"We don't want to hurt you, and you know that," Daphne continued.

I just shook my head. "Yeah so you gang up on me," I accused.

"This is a huge mistake. I just have to say it," Aurelia said.

I sighed: "It's not a mistake!"

"How can you say that?" Daphne said.

"Oh my god, how can you say it?" I countered, getting upset. "You don't know anything about it!"

"We know enough, though."

"You know I don't usually argue with people, but I hate that you do this!" I said.

"Yeah and what is it that makes you argue with people?" Daphne said heatedly. "What is it that makes everything worse for you, that made you skive off school and made your relationship with your parents worse, and that you always spend less time with your friends for - it's Draco! He's not good for you and you know that!"

"Yes he is!" I said. "Honestly Daphn you dont know anything about how he's like when we're alone."

"That's not the point, and yes I do! I've seen it myself a hundred times, I know he loves you now, but what about in a week, or in a month? He'll ALWAYS go back to treating you like shit once he gets tired!"

"I'm so sick of this!" I said. "Everyone's judging our relationship, especially judging me for staying with him and getting back together or whatever and I'm so sick of it! It's my life!"

"And he's hurt you a thousand times!" Aurelia cried out. "And you can't believe he won't do it again!"

"No he won't! He's not like that now" I said.

"Exactly, not right now," Daphne said.

"He's not like that anymore! It's different now," I said. "It really is. And I shouldn't have to prove that to you! You are my friends and you should support me and be happy for me!"

Aurelia looked away, avoiding my gaze. Tracey was looking away too. Daphne was just staring at me.

"You're so naive, just so naive... it's sad... don't you ever learn?"

I just stared at her, feeling my heart beginning to beat faster. There was definitely a change in tone by that last comment. I just shook my head. "You don't know shit all about it."

Daphne held up her hands: "Listen, do whatever you want, but I don't to hear a single word about it, I don't want to get hear you cry about Draco ever again because I keep giving you advice but you still go back and do the same thing! Whatever, when he fucks you over next time, I'll be here to say I told you so."

I just gaped at her, shocked. I was angry and I felt like I could start crying any second and I didn't know what to do but I just wanted to get away, so I turned to walk away towards the dormitories.

Daphne called after me: "Yeah go on, forget everything for Dracp, like you've done a hundred times, yeah! It'll never change, Pans, don't be so stupid!"

I didn't answer I just walked into my dorm as fast as I could.

A few frosty weeks followed and then we finally were sent home for Christmas. As soon as I got home mother saw that I wasn't being myself. I told her everything. That my best friends didn't support me and Draco anymore and that they thought I was dumb.

She listened patiently and then she said: "When you're with him you feel like you don't need anything else in the world, and that's not healthy because you need your friends and you need your family and school and other things - he alone won't keep you happy forever even if it feelsl ike that right now, that's just destructive. You love him too much, Pansy, you always have."

It made my stomach ache. "Yeah well I can't really change that. I have been for the past three years and it's not going away." I said, feeling tears forming in my eyes and my throat was warm and tight and I could hardly swallow.

"Yes I know," Mother said calmly. "But perhaps you should listen to your friends more. If several of them are saying bad things about you two getting back together then there might be a problem. They're not saying it to hurt you they're saying it because they want what's best for you."

"No, because he hasn't done anything!"

Mother paused and thought. "Not this time. Not yet."

I looked at her. She looked at me and shrugged. "The odds aren't exactly in his favour. I mean, you understand why your friends may have these 're not bringing this up out of nowhere. He has hurt you loads in the past. And I thought that last time you broke up really was for real. Because you figured out you can't keep playing cat and mouse, and chasing each other, and splitting up, and playing games to hurt the other more. I thought you both realised that wasn't healthy and that you were finished for good."

I looked down. "I dunno.. Yeah I suppose that's true but at the same time, we still can't keep away from each other, so what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, love. It's difficult. When he's on his good side he's exactly what you need and deserves, he treats you with such love."

I nodded, swallowing hard to keep myself from crying.

"But on the other hand," Mother went on. "It's shocking how cruel he can be to you sometimes. One minute he treats you like you're so fragile and so special to him and with such love and respect, and then he just swaps personalities completely and he's so cruel to you. And it's shocking that he can treat you like that, when he claims to love you so much."

I shrugged. "I suppose he's insecure when it comes to love or whatever. He's scared?"

"Draco is a tricky one, you know that," Mother said. "It'll never be easy with him. And that's why you try to get over him and try to see other people... but sometimes I wonder... Maybe this is the way your relationship just works. You don't get bored with each other you never get over each other because you keep breaking up and getting back together. And that's why you get bored with other guys because you can never get what you have with Draco. You can't have a longtime relationship with anybody but him because you get bored. I just wish you could be like you used to be, when you were so sweet and so careful with each other, you appreciated the other so much and you would never hurt them, but now it's become like a game for you to hurt each other most and to play with each other's emotions, and that's not healthy, love. And I know we shouldn't only blame Draco because it takes two to tango, because he is a sweet lad really but he does have his cruel sides to him, so I feel very inclined to blame him, because you never try to hurt him like he does."

By the time her speech was done, I was crying. "But I have done that thought!" I cried out. She stroked my back.

"Yes but only for a revenge, because he's started it. And that's also something to think about, how he does sort of bring out the worst in you, to be honest."

I looked down. I'd never really thought about it that way before.

"When he's on his good side, he makes you so happy, and he brings out the absolute best in you. But when he's on his bad side, he brings out the worst in you."

That night I couldn't sleep at all.

On Christmas Eve one of the House-Elves called me to say there was a guest there for me. Confused, I went downstairs and to my surprise Felicia stood in our entry parlour. The Felicia who kissed Draco on back in September. My friends hated her and I hadn't talked to her since that, which was almost four months ago now.

She'd tried to come up to me several times in the common room but I had just walked away. And now she was just standing there. I felt so awkward, but anyway she looked really sad and she wanted to talk, so I hesitantly agreed to take a walk round the countryside around my manor with her, and she just said sorry for everything and that she missed me and she regretted everything and our friendship wasn't worth screwing over to get Draco... So I forgave her.

And then that night we all went to a party, and she came along. And there was chaos.

I came there with Daphne, Tracey, Aurelia and Millicent. Felicia also came with Mathilda, Scarlett and Molly from the year below. It was all right at first. We all sat together.

Me and Felicia behaved like proper friends again, laughing and joking about but I could see Daphne and Aurelia sending each other confused and disliking looks, and I heard Daphne mutter in Aurelia's ear: "I find it so incredibly odd that they just suddenly get on, I don't trust her at all, and nor should Pansy, I mean have we all forgotten what she did?" with Aurelia enthusiastically nodding on.

Then we all put our glasses together in a big cheer, Daphne and Aurelia as well.

"Listen, I just want to tell you something," Felicia said in my ear. She looked symphatehic when I looked at her.

"You know how sorry I am about Draco. Really. I felt so bad about it, every single day."

I nodded and sipped my drink and forced a smile. "I know, it's all right."

"Well, yeah," she began, unsurely. My insides suddenly went cold. Was there something else they'd done without me knowing? "And I know I'm not exactly one to talk - since I kissed him, you know, but..."

"What is it?" I exhaled deeply, my heart beating faster. She looked anxious.

"Well, I've heard rumours he's been cheating on you recently." It seemed to pain her to speak the words.

I shrugged and sipped my drink; it was unpleasant to hear, but I'd prepared for something worse. "We're not even properly together. And whatever we are... we weren't anything at all until a couple of days ago... So..."

She looked even more anxious now. "Yeah..."

I looked up. "What? You reckon he's done something in the past couple of days?"

She looked away, couldn't look at me apparently. "Yeah... And the things is, I've not only heard rumours. I've seen stuff too..."

"What are you talking about?" I frowned. I couldn't hear it. Suddenly I didn't feel like speaking to her anymore. In fact, she had kissed Draco a few months ago and claimed she was in love with him, so how could I know she was not only saying this to ruin things between him and me?

"I saw him out the day before yesterday, actually," she claimed.

"All right," I urged her on. Just spit it out already!

"At the Leaky Cauldron with Crabbe, Goyle, Theo and Blaise."

"Right."

"Girls all over him. He kissed one of them, and like an hour later, at like just before the pub closed, he left with another of them, just him and her." She looked incredibly nervous, but released a tensed breath. I pondered this for a moment, swallowing and looking away. The boys all arrived, and we all hugged.

Later, we were outside, having a smoke. I was a bit drunk and suddenly there was a situation going on which I had never seen coming. Apparently Felicia was a few metres away and was saying something along the lines off: "It'll never last long, you know how he is, he's already cheated on her again..." although I didn't hear it but my friends said so. Draco suddenly said: "All right, that's it, I can't fucking hear this anymore..."

Draco quickly made his way over to her where she was standing with some of her other friends that we only knew shallowly, and abruptly said: "What are you doing? What's your problem?" interrupting her conversation with her friends. She surprisedly turned to him, so did her friends.

"Sorry?"

Her friends looked very confused.

"why do you go around telling lies?"

Felicia looked very surprised. "Err, I don't...?"

"Yeah? Then why do I hear all about how you're telling Pansy about things that never happened?"

She looked up at him. "Draco, you and I both know what's happened and what's not."

Draco rolled his eyes, voice raised as he spoke: "Apparently you don't know fuck-all, if that's what you think I've been doing."

"Malfoy-" she began, looking as anxious as she had done earlier, inside with me.

He held up his hand. "No," he said forcefully. "I'm telling you right now, just stay the fuck out of it, or I'll tell everyone about what a good friend you are."

One of her friends let out a shocked: "Whoa!"

"Draco! You don't have to be so rude!" Felicial said, getting more nervous.

"Apparently I do," Draco went on firmly, "because I've told you to mind your own fucking business but you're still standing here talking."

Felicia gaped. "Well, for starters, you came up to me! And secondly - yeah, because I know everything you've done!"

Draco began laughing. "Yeah? And what's that then? Remind me."

"I know you kissed two girls at Leaky Cauldron, I know-"

"WHAT?" Draco let out, still laughing derisively. "What the hell are you on about?"

"I know how you were surrounded by girls, how flirty you were-"

"What the fuck are you on about, seriously? Are you mental?"

"I don't want to see her hurt, and I know how you're like," Felicia claimed.

"You don't know fuck all about me!" Draco raised his voice.

Felicia looked a little frightened. "Listen, mate, you brought this upon yourself, I've got nothing to do with what's going on between you and her..."

"Exactly so why do you act like you do!"

"I don't! I'm just helping her out like a friend should, I don't owe you anything so why should I keep quiet? If you're going to treat her badly and I see it, then of course I'm going to tell her."

"Are you serious?" You're making things up! You're trying to snake your way into getting her trust back so you can manipulate her, when in fact, you're the guilty one, need I remind you what sick shit you did last time we saw you?"

"Can't you hear how you sound? You're just trying to cover yourself up with mad stories, blaming all this on me instead of just admitting what you've done!"

"Are you actually having a laugh? I've done fuck all!" He was shouting now. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you're actually mental!"

Everyone was watching on at this point. None of Draco's friends were trying to calm him down though, like they usually did whenever he got into rows.

"Malfoy, I've done nothing wrong."

"Just focus on your own life and maybe you'll get somehwere."

"What? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Everyone knows how desperate you are to get into our group of friends and to be honest it's quite patethic."

"I'm quite all right actually thank you! I'm not, I just—"

"You're not exactly one to talk are you, anyway, have you got any idea how much rumours there were about you cheating on your last boyfriend? Not to mention how you were all over me, while knowing everything about me and Pansy! What sort of friend does that?"

Felicia seemed at both loss for words and breath.

"You're like a little snake, really," Draco went on coldly.

"Draco, come on mate," began Blaise.
"Malfoy, who are you to judge me?" Felicia got out. She seemed close to tears now, publicly humiliated.

Draco suddenly burst out, angry. "Well who are you to fucking judge me!"

Felicia shouted back: "I know how you're like! I know how you treat Pansy, how you flirt soo much and you pull other girls all the time!"

"How I'm like?! Maybe when I was fucking fifteen! I'm eighteen now, Felicia, that was three years ago!"

"Draco, I know what I see, and I'll tell Pansy about it how much I want."

"Who the fuck are you?!" Draco shouted. "You have no fucking right to go talk about me behind my back, who do you think you are!" He was shouting right in her face. Everyone seemed shocked and Felicia looked frightened, but stood her ground while the rest tried to make Draco calm down.

"Draco! I only want what's best for Pansy, I'm being a good friend!"

Draco laughed insanely: "A good friend? You snogged me, you deluded bint! Do you actually reckon anyone will believe a single word that comes out of your mouth after that?! And how is manipulating her into thinking I'm pulling other girls 'being a good friend'? You think that's helpful? You're fucking delusional, you're not going to gain anything from this - like everytime I'm out, anytime I turn my back there you are whispering bollocks into her ear, like what the fuck is your problem! You really think she's going to believe you, do you? You're fucking mental!"

Felicia just shook her head, looking away. "I can't talk to him," she said hastily to one of her friends. Draco's friends got in between, grabbing him and trying to make him calm down, while Felicia walked off with a friend.

I just stood there completely gobsmacked. My girlfriends gathered round Felicia, and Tracey and Aurelia pulled me along. Felicia was shaking as she lit a cigarette. Her friend was stroking her arm. "Pansy you know!" she accused, staring at her. I didn't say anything. "You know he does that. You know that!"

I didn't answer.

"Everyone knows it," she went on, "but it's still all being put on me, all this shit is being put on me even though everybody knows it, but I'm the only one who dares to say it and stand up to him."

There was an awkward feeling between all the girls.

Felicia finally burst into tears. "Because he's a bad person!"

I didn't know what to do, so I just turned and walked off, not wanting to deal with it, and behind me I heard how Felicia sobbed and the other girls called my name. Felicia sobbed out: "And now she hates me!"

I walked hastily up to Draco, feeling like my world was falling apart. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to calm him down, holding him and talking calmingly to him. Draco immediately got out: "She's a fucking psycho!" when I approached them.

"Parkinson, maybe you should leave for a minute-" Crabbe began.

I ignored them both and just looked at Draco. "Draco, just tell me if you did it or not."

"No!" he said angrily, "no," he shook himself out of Crabbe and Goyle's grips.

"Then why would she just make up something like that?"

"You're asking me? She's fucking mad!" he claimed. "You know what she did, trying to snog me and all. She's clearly got reasons to lie!"

"Well if you didn't then why are you so angry, I mean, why couldn't you just've said 'no I didn't' simple as that, but you're making it feel like you did something, honestly."

Draco opened his mouth, but found himself at loss for words. Blaise then grabbed me and said: "Let's go, let's get out of here."

Draco called after us, as Blaise pulled me off towards the street outside. My heart was pounding, I didn't want to believe it, I didn't. Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Theodore hurried after. Draco shouted: "Wait!"

"No, Draco, get back!" Blaise called over his shoulder. "Just leave it for a minute!"

I felt incredibly grateful that Blaise did so even though Draco was his best mate.

"Why would she make that up?" I slurred.

Blaise angrily came to a halt when we reached the street. "You know that he does that though, Pansy, you're not dumb!"

His eyes were burning into mine. I felt sick. I stared at him, and then I turned away, sighed, ad lit a cigarette. Blaise sat down on the pavement. I just stared and then I went to sit next to him. "Did he do it?" I asked.

Blaise didn't answer, looked away, and took a drag of his own cigarette.

"Do you know?" I asked again. He didn't answer. My stomach was aching. "Blaise, if you know then you should tell me."

"No I shouldn't because he's my best mate!"

I looked down onto the pavement by my feet. He turned to look at me with something that looked like pity and said: "He's an arse to you. You know what he's like, you know it."

"But did he do it?"

"I don't know!" Blaise said. And then he was silent for a tensed moment, until he said hastily: "But to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he did."

We were silent for a few moments. I didn't want to hear it. Then Draco, Theo, Crabbe and Goyle emerged out on the street. Draco was loud and angry. "Fucking bitch."

Blaise, who apparently was the only one who too dared standing up to Draco besides Felicia, said: "Draco, she's not a bitch, she's been one of our closest friends for like two years."

"The fuck she has," Draco muttered and went to crouch down in front of me. "You don't believe her do you?"

I didn't answer at first, just looked down.

"Could you look at me?" Draco said forcefully.

"Mate, calm down," Blaise warned.

I looked up, made eyecontact with Blaise, he just looked angry, staring back at me. "What?" he then said.

"You wanted me to look at you," I said.

He looked away, and then back at her. "You know it's all bollocks right?"

"I just don't get why she would make something like that up."

Draco groaned. "She's mental." I didn't answer.

"Oh, you believe her?" Draco then said, changing tones. "You're fucking unbelievable."

"Don't turn this on me, it's just really hard because it's you and it's one of my closest friends!"

"No, it's not!" he disagreed. "She used to be until she tried to snog your boyfriend! And who do you think loves you more? She's a mate, that's nothing like what we've got."

I couldn't help but to find the fact that he said that in front of four of his mates quite admirable. I didn't answer, I swallowed deeply. "I just want to know if you did it or not."

Draco groaned. "I shouldn't even have to say that."

"Mate did you do it?" Blaise asked.

"I've already said no! All right?" He looked around. "I've said it now, one last time, so can everyone please stop asking me about it."

Then he turned to me. "You shouldn't even question me, Pans."

"How can I not? If a mate of yours would come up to you and say that and go into detail... I mean... it's very hard to not believe it."

"I shouldn't even have to tell you how much I care about you, how special you are to me," Draco retorted.

I sighed. "I know that but what am I supposed to think?"

"You're supposed to believe me, I'm the one who always wants to be with you, all the time, I want to wake up with you and go to bed with you, I want to be with you all the time. I'm obsessed with you. Anyone of the lads can bear witness to that," and he looked over his shoulder, adding a little louder: "Right?" They all murmured in agreement. "And you're not even my girlfriend or anything," he added. "You're my ex-girlfriend, and I'm still telling you I didn't kiss anyone. Even though I could if I'd wanted to."

I sighed and looked away. "I just want to leave"

"Right, let's go," Draco said and hastily rose.

"No... Not with you," I said and got up.

Christmas Day I woke up with a lump of anxiety in my stomach but as I spent the day with my parents, my grandparents and my cousins, it got a lot better. House-Elves were busy cooking and serving while we opened presents, enjoyed good food and drinks in my grandparents manor house in Surrey. I ignored Draco's owls for the next few days.

Until Boxing Day when he turned up on my doorstep.

"How are you?" he said as we hugged hello. I shrugged, sending a forced half-smile. "Can I come in?"

I hesitated, but I knew mother and father were busy entertaining in the lounge. We went up to my room and I sat down on my bed.

I took a deep breath and then I said: "I just thought it would be different this time, you know?"

"It is!" he hastily assured, as he too sat down, on the opposite side of the bed.

I looked out into the darkness outside my window. "I really thought all of this would end, I thought it would be different now... I'm so sick of it. I thought all the lying would stop, I thought you respected me loads more now..."

"I do!" he interrupted.

"No, but you did it, didn't you?" I choked, lump in my throat, as I turned to look at him. He looked back. Then he looked up towards the dark star-scattered sky and put his hands up. "No, I didn't."

"You're lying right now," I accused.

"No, I'm not! Will you just leave it?"

I looked away.

"Daphne said you should't make me give up things," I said then.

Draco frowned at looked up. "Daphne's a psycho."

I opened my mouth to speak, but then Draco went on, seemingly pondering: "Give up things - what? Give up what?"

"I dunno, friends and things like that I suppose..."

"Really? Seriously?" he turned to look at me again, one eyebrow raised. "They're the ones leaving you - you haven't started any arguments whatsoever, they're choosing to stop being friends with you supposedly."

"Yeah, I know..." I mumbled.

There was a silence for a minute.

Then I said: "I just dont know if I can handle all of this."

"All of what?"

"It's just really embarassing, you always put me in these embarassing situations," I claimed.

He put up his hand in my face: "No, shh, listen, is she a threat to you?"

"No..." I said unsurely.

"Then what are you even upset about?" he raised his voice. "I've done nothing and you know that, but you're still angry?"

I've always hated it when he yells at me. "Well, yeah, because it's not about that, it's that I'm always left in this situation with you, I mean, you make my friends and evetrone see me as dumb, don't you get that?"

Draco rolled his eyes angrily. "Sorry? How do I make you seem dumb? How can I even affect that?"

"Because everyone thinks you're pulling other girls and it makes me look dumb to stay with you."

"But I haven't and you know that!"

"Yeah but everyone else doesn't know that!"

"Why do you care what other people think?!"

"It's not that, it's just—" I felt unsure again. I'd known my point at the beginning of the conversation and I'd been prepared to stand by it, but he always made me see things differently. I couldn't make out for myself whether it was the manipulation everyone else talked about or if he just explained things really well.

"Everyone who matters know the truth, all the lads know. Daphne, Tracey, Aurelia, Millicent, they all know the truth!"

I looked away.

"No, really, I don't understand you. It's like you want to create something to be angry about."

"Are you saying I created this?"

"You always want to find something to be angry with me for!"

I looked down. "No, that's not it. It's just that you always do things that upsets me..."

"Well, listen, I'm sick of this, so if-"

"Oh you are sick of this?"

Draco interrupted me right back: "So if you can honestly say you don't want to be with me, ever, then tell me to leave right now."

I looked away.

"Go on. But then I won't be here when you change your mind."

I looked up at him, into his eyes. I opened my mouth but no words came out.

I just wanted him for real this time. A serious relationship. Just him. I wanted to have romantic dinners with just him, not getting interrupted by him dragging me out to meet the boys. Not just having sex. For real this time. Talking, not playing games, just us two. But to be honest I didn't know if he could do that, and that was what frightened me.

The next day we all hung out at Crabbe's house because his parents were away for the weekend. We just had a few Butterbeers, played Exploding Snap and talked. The girls all asked about the Felicia business, but I trusted Draco this time. She just had to much motive to lie unfortunately.

Quickly the evening fell apart, however. Blaise and Daphne came later, at like eleven. And saw me and Draco together.

Daphne dragged me out for a smoke. "You got back together with him?" she hissed.

"Yeah," I said defiantely.

Daphne rolled her eyes and didn't say anything at first, and then: "Pansy, are you dumb?"

I looked away, biting my lip.

"You know that he cheated on you!" she accused.

"No, he didn't," I said. "He says he didn't do it and I believe him. It's different this time, Daph, why can't you just be happy for me and believe me?"

"Because I know how he's like! I know what he's done! And he's manipulating you!" Daphne said, exasperated.

I looked away. "God, just leave it! He didn't do it this time."

We finished our cigarettes without another word, Daphne seemed to be holding back whatever she wanted to say, and then the lads came outside. I lit another one and so did the boys, and it was awkward for a while but then the small-talk began.

Then Daphne approached Draco on the side. "Can I have a word?"

"Yeah, all right."

They walked away a few steps. I kept my eyes on them, while talking to Blaise and the others.

"How can you do that to her? We've never particularly got on, but this just takes the prize, Draco!"

Draco frowned. "What are you on about?" and started smiling in a condescending manner.

"Draco, don't do that," she warned him.

Draco began grinning. "I'm not doing anything, you're being crazy again."

Daphne exclaimed: "Sorry?" Which made me and the lads look over.

Draco rolled his eyes. "I don't really want to have this conversation with you."

"Oh, I don't particularly fancy it either, but-"

Draco laughed derisively. "So why are we having it?"

"Because you can't keep doing this to her, you can't!"

Draco raised one eyebrow at her, looking at her like she was a mental case. "I'm not doing anything, Greengrass," he said condescendingly.

"Yes, you are!" she insisted.

"I dunno why you and the other girls are like scheming against me-"

"Draco, listen, it's not just me, you know that, you've had this row before, it's not without reason, you know that, why won't you just admit it, yeah?"

"You are mental," he condescended brightly, shaking his head with a wide smile.

That made Daphne more irritated. "Why won't you jsut fucking admit it? How can you do that to someone you 'love'?"

Draco raised his voice too: "You don't know what you're on about!"

Daphne raised her voice even more: "You disgust me!"

That was when the rest of us hurried over to try and stop it, just as Draco exclaimed: "You're one to talk!"

"Honestly, mate, leave it," said Blaise, stepping in.

"No, you leave it, I'm not speaking to you, Blaise," Draco hastily retorted, eyes flaming at Daphne.

"Honestly, I agree with her," Blaise intervened, surprising us all. "Yous two can't possibly think you're going to work again, can you?"

Draco looked as shocked as I felt.

"You're both so stupid getting back together! It's never going to work!" Daphne added.

"Likes you're ones to talk," Draco retorted. "Why the bloody hell would you two get back together? There's not a randomer couple in allof fucking Hogwarts."

I just shook my head, I hated confrontation.

"Honestly, you can' talk to people like that, Draco," Daphne said, shaking her head.

"I talk to you however the fuck I want! Greengrass you've always been a bit mental, but what the fuck's happened to you?" Draco directed it at Blaise.

"Don't talk about my girlfriend like that," Blaise warned.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Draco shouted then, getting more and more worked up, adrenaline pumped and angry. "You if anyone's talked so much shit about her, and now you're backing her up? What the fuck?"

"Malfoy, you'll just have to realise-" Daphne began.

"Shh, I'm not fucking talking to you," Draco said.

"Don't put your fucking hand in my face!" Daphne exploaded. "I fucking hate it when you do that! Pansy how can you be with him? Can't you see what a proper bellend he is?!"

Draco just laughed derisively.

"Daph, stop it," I managed to get out.

"No, Draco, you'll just have to realise that not everyone's going to bow down to you!" Daphne went on. "That you're not all that - all the girls have always had crushes on you and the boys have treated you like a God or something, but some people just see right through that!"

"What the fuck are you on about?"

"Mate, calm down," Blaise said warningly.

"You're not my fucking mate, Blaise!" Draco shook his head, angry but smiling insanely. "I don't even know who you are right now."

"You know, right, Pansy," Daphne went on, "you know that he's cheated on you a hundred times-"

I spoke up for the first time. "No, he hasn't. All I know is you've always hated him no matter what he's done, you've-"

Daphne threw up her hands in the air in aggravation. "Merlin's beard then you are fucking stupid, Pansy! How naive can you be?!"

"Shut your fucking mouth," Draco said, voice raised.

"Draco, you shut your fucking mouth!" Blaise then said. That was when Draco snapped. Crabbe tried pulling him back but in a split second Draco had jumped on Blaise. He pushed him back against a wall about ten feet away in a second, with a firm grip on Blaise's robe. Me and Daphne screamed, it was so quick. Blaise looked chocked, started pushing Draco back, the lads came inbetween, trying to pull them away from each other, but Draco got in a few extremely hard (by the look of it), quick and angry punches.

Daphne and I were pushed in the ruckus when the boys rushed forward to keep them apart. We also hurried forward to try to help. Daphne came in the middle of it all and roared: "You're fucking mental, he's fucking mental!" towards Draco.

Crabbe and Goyle were holding Draco, who were struggling frantically, looking murderous. Blaise was bleeding from his nose, clutching his jaw, and spat out a mixture of saliva and blood, while Daphne fanwed over him and supported him.

"That's how it'll be then?" Blaise shouted at Draco from the distance, ignoring Daphne.

"Any way you fucking like!" Draco roared back, obviously still filled up to the rim on testosterone and adrenaline.

"You're fucked up in the head, Draco!" Daphne shouted.

"Don't say things like that!" I shouted.

Daphne pointed a shaking finger at me. "YOU are fucking brainwashed, I don't want to speak to you ever again, YOUR boyfriend does things like this to people and you're still by his side! You're so fucking stupid!"

"Daphne who the fuck are you to talk?" Goyle shouted, indicating that she's not exactly an angel.

"Don't you fucking start as well," Daphne shook her head, "I knew they'd all stick up for Draco like he's some sort of fucking God" she added loudly, turning her back.

"Leave it, babe," Blaise told her.

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle shouted: "Yeah, just fucking leave it!" Theo just stood there, not saying anything.

"Get your fucking fatso girlfriend out of Hogwarts, no one wants you two round!" Draco called after them.

I watched them disappear, standing by the side not knowing what to do.

How the bloody hell had it come to this?